Boy did it take me a really long time to get to this flick. After hearing about it years ago at UHM, All About Evil has been towards the top of my queue for maybe two years and every time I came across the flick I passed it over for something else. Originally completed in 2010, the film only played at festivals and was released on DVD in limited numbers, but after years of waiting the flick is finally available to the genre this year. After finally giving this a watch I can see how it would gather some positive buzz from the underground horror connoisseurs out there, as this is a flick heavy in some of the genre’s notable pleasures. All About Evil is most likely not for everyone, much like a Troma film, but if you want a gory movie with a zany approach then this may be for you.

Natasha, a simple librarian, inherits her father’s beloved but financially decrepit movie theater after his death. While trying to save the family business from her ruthless, money-hungry mother, she discovers her unique ability to kill, and decides to use this to her advantage. With a hoard of gorehounds willing to pay money to watch her grisly horror shorts on the big screen, Natasha brings the theater back to life and pays the ultimate homage to her father’s legacy. What her fans have yet to realize though, is the all-too-real murders occurring on screen feel real for a reason…

Looking for some B-movie schlock? I think you have come to the right place. All About Evil moves quickly, setting up Natasha’s character as the mousy librarian dealing with the recent passing of her beloved father and having to face her despicable mother who’s main concern is selling the theater and getting her fair share of the cash. After a mere 13 minutes we have our first kill and Natasha’s first taste of murder, but what happens next is pure brilliance. Running late and desperate to find a film to play for her unruly patrons who are running low on patience, she plays the surveillance video of her murder for the audience to enjoy…and boy do they enjoy it. The light bulb above her head is now emitting supreme lumens and before you know it Natasha’s films are filling the theater to capacity and raking in the dough. Victims are not hard to come by either, and with the help of a few confidants she commits a new grisly murder every week, including one where a woman’s breasts are chopped off with a guillotine. Each short is expertly titled with a witty pun based on a well-known story/tale, adding a bit of nerd status to the flick. The kills provide lots of gore and are also quite humorous as well, both due to the nature of the kill as well as its location. This simple flick does provide a bit of conflict as well when our male lead soon learns of the source material behind the short horror flicks that should really be referred to as snuff films, but the film is more about paying homage to gory grindhouse cinemas than it is about conflict and all that fancy stuff. With numerous colorful characters to go around, Grannell’s story does come heavy in unique theatric dialogue that I was not expecting but sure did appreciate.

Grannell also serves as the film’s director and despite the B-movie film quality he makes this experience much more visually appealing than I anticipated. The acting performances from the antagonists are over the top and will play a heavy role in keeping the viewer engaged when the kills are not gracing the screen. Each horror short also comes with a theme and the fashion of those participating also plays into the theme, adding to the film’s visual appeal. Most importantly, though, the film’s gore is top-notch. While not all of the kills were shot in full-frontal fashion (sadly this applies to the breast reduction scene) we do see some sweet kill sequences that were mean, brutal, and contained the utmost in gore. It is obvious Grannell is a fan of the B-movie scene and wished to replicate such films into a modern day effort, and for the most part I believe he achieved what he aimed for.

Overall, All About Evil is a film sure to please those who know (and enjoy) what they are getting into. Fans of cinema, horror, gore, kills, insane characters, etc., should have a blast with this one.

Rating: 7/10

…Additional Stills…

I once dated a girl who wanted breast reduction surgery. I wish we had thought of this…

Welcome

As an avid horror fan, and one that is fully aware that we have different points of view on horror films, this is my way of getting my thoughts on horror films out there. Whether you agree with my philosophy on horror flicks, you can read my entries and still get a basic rundown of what the film is about and what it entails, which will help you decide whether or not you would like to give the flick a watch.
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